craigmcbreen.comhttp://www.craigmcbreen.com
Craig McBreenWed, 04 Feb 2015 00:11:28 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.1My 3 Words For 2015http://www.craigmcbreen.com/3-words-2015/
http://www.craigmcbreen.com/3-words-2015/#commentsThu, 08 Jan 2015 19:27:09 +0000http://www.craigmcbreen.com/?p=10780I started this blog in September 2011. The date of my most recent post, until now? September 2014. So, after three years of consistent blogging, why the three month absence? I did not stop writing. I simply stopped writing here at craigmcbreen.com. This is not because I’m disappearing into some social media boneyard. No, quite the […]

Since 2006, Chris Brogan has done the following without fail. It’s an exercise he’s titled, My 3 Words For The Year…

Straight from the horse’s mouth: “I created the “My 3 Words” exercise because most resolutions aren’t especially helpful. We decide something vague like “I’ve gotta get in shape” or “I’ve gotta quit smoking” or “I need to make more money” but while these are all great goals, they’re not really useful as ways to guide our activities throughout the year. I thought that maybe we could come up with something better, something more useful, something that would work within our thought process daily and not just for the first seven or eight days of the new year.”

First, what are my plans for 2015?

1. McBreen Media:

My current company, McBreen Design, will soon be called McBreen Media. A new and improved branding and marketing firm born of solid strategy, creative execution and effective promotion. (A new and improved site will soon by live.)

2. The Art of Breaking Out (AOBO):

I recently started the AOBO website and podcast, and I have big plans for this property in 2015. (I do hope Mr. Brogan is open to an interview ;))

Both sites are driven by a similar set of goals…

To help individuals, companies, and organizations reinvent themselves and spark change through the power of story.

This will be accomplished through a successful podcast, and a mix of workshops, posts, webinars, and talks, all built on teaching others how to embrace change, find their core, and tell their story by leveraging the amazing power of the 0nline space.

3. craigmcbreen.com

This site certainly won’t go away, but I won’t be writing here as often, as my focus will be on McBreen Media and The Art of Breaking Out.

My 3 words?

Define—
Cracking the genetic code of your business is my idea of a good time, really.

Want to uncover your brand DNA—leaving no question in anyone’s mind about who you are and what you do? Well, that’s kinda what I do.

McBreen Media will do this for companies and organizations.

AOBO’s focus will be on individuals.

Develop—
This is where plans meet production. The Define phase is like laying the foundation. Developing is about listing, prioritizing and producing the most effective marketing built to establish, refine, or grow your brand presence.

McBreen Media will do this for companies and organizations.

AOBO’s focus will be on individuals.

Deliver—
You know me. I’m all about execution and getting things done. Delivery is about making sure all this hard work keeps working hard for you.

McBreen Media will do this for companies and organizations.

AOBO’s focus will be on individuals.

Define. Develop. Deliver. (Triple D)
3 words that are rather businesslike, but I think they’re inline with Chris’s rules: Clear, to the point, and packed with enough depth to make what I wrote (in italics) above ring true.

They are impactful, have meaning to me—I worked hard on them while developing copy for my new site—and, I own them, dammit

]]>http://www.craigmcbreen.com/3-words-2015/feed/17Want to Change Your Life? (Let’s Start with 5 Regrets.)http://www.craigmcbreen.com/want-change-life-lets-start-5-regrets/
http://www.craigmcbreen.com/want-change-life-lets-start-5-regrets/#commentsWed, 03 Sep 2014 14:26:26 +0000http://www.craigmcbreen.com/?p=10763Have you ever heard of Bronnie Ware? If you’re not familiar with the name, you might remember her 2012 blog post: “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.” After years of an unfulfilling life she came to work in palliative care, nursing patients during their last days. When Bonnie questioned these patients on regret, certain […]

If you’re not familiar with the name, you might remember her 2012 blog post: “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.”

After years of an unfulfilling life she came to work in palliative care, nursing patients during their last days.

When Bonnie questioned these patients on regret, certain themes surfaced repeatedly. Her original post (since read by millions) listed the five most common regrets …

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Let’s touch on each regret and what this list has to do with my new site …

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

Of all five regrets, this best summarizes my motivation to start a new blog and podcast called The Art of Breaking Out.

We’ve all heard variations on Henry David Thoreau‘s famous quote: “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”

This timeless sentence from “Walden” is truer than ever, and may even apply to your current situation.

Maybe there’s a burning desire within, but due to choices made or not made, your dreams remain unfulfilled.

I haven’t even begun to fully explore my dreams. What about you?

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

Every male patient she nursed said “I wish I didn’t work so hard.” It almost hurts hearing this, because we’re taught from a young age that busy is good.

The dying patients’ main regrets? They missed valuable time with family, friends and especially their kids.

Women said it too, but this statement was usually from the mouths of breadwinners, stuck on that monster of a wheel, treading like some helpless, furry rodent.

The very title of this new site, The Art of Breaking Out, might translate to career change or finally starting your own business. This means hard work, of course, and therein lies the rub, but here’s the thing … I think Bonnie’s patients were talking about a form of hard work that’s a relic of a past age. To them, work and life were separate entities with a huge chasm between the two. They were taught to provide at all costs.

While this may sound counterintuitive, I believe in hard work, but the right kind of hard work. While many are still stuck here and don’t have many options, I honestly believe there is always a way. I think there is such a things as work / life balance, especially now with the amazing tools and technologies at our disposal.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

Suppressed your true feelings to keep peace, at home, at work, with clients.

Endured unhealthy relationships for what feels like eons.

Not spoken up in a meeting, even when you knew your idea was 100 times better than the asshole who did.

Or regretting not telling someone you loved them.

And because of all this, you feel as if you’ve always settled for mediocre. The slow burn of resentment festers inside, turning to jealously, bitterness and possibly, rage. This passive aggressive anger is insanely unhealthy and can come out in a variety of unhealthy ways.

I’m certainly no clinical psychologist or therapist, but certainly know what demons I battled for years. Have you? Thinking you’re not worthy to speak up? Feeling you’ll drag the party down to the most mundane level? Lost the power to part your lips, even though you know you have something incredible to add to the conversation?

Well, I can’t provide the antidote, but I hope to provide the motivation for you to bust a move.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Most of the patients didn’t realize the importance of friends until they were on their deathbed. They were so caught up in the busyness of life, they forgot to stay in touch and before they knew it, decades had passed.

For me this statement cuts deep because I’ve been a lone wolf most of my life.

As a painfully insecure kid, a combination of factors enhanced my angst-ridden programming. From a lonely elementary school kid to a mid-forties solopreneur, I carried this weight as a strange form of shame (and guilt).

One result of this programming was my lack of true friendships, even though I longed for them. Keeping people at a distance came naturally. But the strange thing is I’m fairly outgoing, don’t mind talking to strangers, and am not afraid to speak in front of a group, but when it comes to letting people in, I regress.

Part of this new site is about exploring the what and why of this, as well as the big “how,” as in “how to reprogram yourself to open up.”

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

These dying patients did not realize until that end, that happiness is a choice. Most of them looked back and realized, with regret, that enjoyment, true happiness, was absent for most of their time on earth.

BUT fear of change often keeps us from opening up to the true joy of life.

Do you run from small situations (and opportunities) that crop up? THINGS that could lead to change and happiness?

Then there’s the big question: What is happiness? I don’t think it’s happiness as much as a certain contentment, but it’s certainly a topic I’ll cover in greater detail.

These five statements reveal so much about our modern day struggles and what it means to be human.

One of my goals with The Art of Breaking Out is to explore these feelings. Why you resist that one big change that could take you to the next level.

A huge part of this site is about reprogramming what Jonathan Fields calls “soft wiring.” Changing what you thought were “defects” into a form of self-acceptance that helps you see the potential you have and fuels a power that was always inside you.

]]>http://www.craigmcbreen.com/want-change-life-lets-start-5-regrets/feed/13Why the Social Web Needs Thought Leadershttp://www.craigmcbreen.com/social-web-needs-thought-leaders/
http://www.craigmcbreen.com/social-web-needs-thought-leaders/#commentsThu, 07 Aug 2014 01:34:40 +0000http://www.craigmcbreen.com/?p=10740A few months back, Mark Schaefer wrote a post that rankled a few peeps in the blogosphere. The post induced a mix of reactions. Those vehemently disagreeing, but many nodding in agreement. His “Content Shock” post generated … hundreds of comments (negative, positive and in-between); sucked precious time from his business, (because he answered most […]

Yes, many don’t like the term thought leader, but I don’t want to argue about that. I just want to say the social realm, as fickle as it is, has leaders and followers just like the “real” world, and guess what? We need leaders, or at least those willing to take a stand.

Why?

This is how conversations on important topics get started. And his post lead to some heated, but insightful comments.

Insightful comments that could have easily become entertaining, useful, and controversial blog posts of their own.

Thought leaders write posts that generate these types of comments, and this is great for all of us.

What is golden goodness?

A post that gets everyone’s attention in the Content Marketing cave of echoes.

Heck, I’m still thinking about it (Content Shock, that is ;))

Mark could easily write posts like this all the time, but he chooses not to.

Like any skilled content marketer, he’s not solely focused on comment count or engagement for the sake of engagement.

I imagine he wants to move the needle when it comes to his business (don’t we all), but he also wants to make us think.

All good.

As Doug Kessler wrote in this excellent Slide Share presentation on the very topic of Content Shock, “The winners will be those who build Great Content Brands.”

“A Great Content Brand is a brand that’s famous for producing intelligent, useful and entertaining content that’s always worth consuming.”

He also goes on to add “authoritative,” “passionate,” and “prolific” to the mix.

Thanks, Doug. From now on I’ll just call thought leaders great content brands.

]]>http://www.craigmcbreen.com/social-web-needs-thought-leaders/feed/8Want to Be a Blog Writing Machine? (Give up on Perfection).http://www.craigmcbreen.com/want-blog-writing-machine-give-perfection/
http://www.craigmcbreen.com/want-blog-writing-machine-give-perfection/#commentsThu, 31 Jul 2014 02:17:45 +0000http://www.craigmcbreen.com/?p=10738How do you write so damn much? I recently interviewed Gini Dietrich and that was the very question I asked her. I wanted to know how she’s become a writing machine, continually pumping out valuable, insightful, and actionable posts. Her answer was basically that it’s something she can’t not do. She’s been at this far […]

]]>http://www.craigmcbreen.com/want-blog-writing-machine-give-perfection/feed/15Can Social Media Engagement Kill Your Business?http://www.craigmcbreen.com/social-media-engagement-hurt-business/
http://www.craigmcbreen.com/social-media-engagement-hurt-business/#commentsThu, 24 Jul 2014 01:53:16 +0000http://www.craigmcbreen.com/?p=10722As marketers, it’s our job to deliver rock-solid content and effective online strategies. And we hear a lot of talk in the blogosphere about engagement. Social media engagement. But this virtual party can suck you in, drain precious hours and keep you from focusing on the customers that drive your business … I’ve listened to Mark […]

But this virtual party can suck you in, drain precious hours and keep you from focusing on the customers that drive your business …

I’ve listened to Mark Schaefer discuss the double-edged nature of his popular “content shock” post. You can read it (along with the massive amount of comments) here.

His post was shared far and wide, generated hundreds of comments and created quite a stir in our social media utopia, but as he himself described, the 700 plus comments became a full-time job … for weeks.

Hey, Mark … I feel ya.

Really. This kind of online engagement will suck hours and pull you from your business, thus having the potential to kill your bottom line.

And while Mark (or anyone else) could “engineer” their site to generate a ton of comments … how is that really going to help?

Just be careful what you’re shooting for, because hundreds of comments might lead to you losing hundreds of hours of precious time.

Here’s what might help …

1. Stop Trying to Be the Next Social Media Sensation, Start Building Your Brand.

Okay, I’ll be honest … I’m still in love with comments, enjoy social shares, and the friendly worlds of Twitter and Facebook. But at one point I loved all this too much.

Social media cranks up the reward centers of your brain and that dopamine rush can easily become a crack-like addiction.

The result? You’re in a blogging haze and have a daily social media hangover with nothing … zero … nada … nuuuuhh-thing to show for it.

So, if you are on social and have no strategy, turn off the channels, because there are about 1,001 things I can think of that I’d rather spend my time doing.

When you turn off those channels, focus on your brand and build a solid content strategy around it.

Focus on your foundational content and story, then hit the social channels and turn them into supporting elements, making them work for you. Social media engagement without a plan must be avoided.

2. Social Media is a Marathon, So Master Slow, Incremental Progress.

Here’s something that hasn’t changed: Great relationships take time to develop.

I think many fine folks jump into blogging and quickly become enamored with so many meaningless metrics.

And soon start “screaming” for someone to puh-leeze recognize them.

This petulant child routine can work … IF you’re a gifted communicator, put in the hours, have great media connections, and know how to manipulate the system … otherwise you better get busy on plan B.

Plan B involves a new mindset less focused on screaming for attention, and more dialed into teaching AND connecting with the right people … potential customers and influencers inline with what you’re preaching.

Basically the right kind of engagement plan.
One that is purposeful, not scattershot.
More valuable and honest, less engineered.

According to Joe Pulizzi, “Content marketing is the practice of creating relevant and compelling content in a consistent fashion to a targeted buyer, focusing on all stages of the buying process, from brand awareness through to brand evangelism.”

Building brand awareness; getting people to like, know and trust you; turning readers into customers; retaining those customers; building up a base of subscribers … this all takes time and if you’re running around engaging with everyone under the sun … well, you’ll have no time for the above, and your business will suffer.

’nuff said, right?

3. Think Like a Creative Business Owner, Not a Starved-for-Attention Blogger.

Listen, when I first started blogging I was focusing on all those meaningless metrics I told you about.

I also bought into the six- or seven-figure blogging folklore and the myth of overnight success.

This is an online disease most tail-wagging beginners are so susceptible to, because they see those “skyrocketing” success stories.

They can’t resist the candy … I sure couldn’t.

They also think the formula (making millions with toes in the sand) is there for the taking.

]]>http://www.craigmcbreen.com/social-media-engagement-hurt-business/feed/134 Big Reasons Why Your Small Business Needs Content Marketing Nowhttp://www.craigmcbreen.com/4-reasons-business-needs-content-marketing/
http://www.craigmcbreen.com/4-reasons-business-needs-content-marketing/#commentsWed, 16 Jul 2014 03:06:47 +0000http://www.craigmcbreen.com/?p=10703I keep reading bloggers who say content marketing is NOT for small business. It takes too much time and effort. If owners or managers are not on board with a plan, it will never work. That there’s too much hype on this very topic … content marketing, that is. Yadda, yadda, yadda … It does […]

It does take time and effort.
The client has to be on board.
And, yes, there’s a ton of hype, but so f*cking what.

If you’re a designer or marketer working with small clients and you go in with this attitude, how in the world are you going to help them?

Listen, in my former life I was a graphic designer. (god how I hate that term). It’s too general and doesn’t begin to describe the mechanics that go into building a rock-solid online presence – one built on great content.

The Golden Mix: Branding & Content Marketing

A few short years ago, I was NOT doing what I should have been doing all along; enlightening clients on the virtues of golden content.

THIS is how it’s done these days. If your focus is on design and copywriting only, you are missing out. So …

How Does a Small Business Start Using Content Marketing?

And more importantly … why does your average small business need a content marketing / social media plan?

Well, let’s start with my list. A list that says building an online presence, the right way, will change everything …

1. Content Marketing will Redefine Your Business

How? You create your own amazing “Blog Soup.” This will change all.

I’m not saying your business will morph into something unrecognizable, but I am saying you WILL discover new and amazing things that could shift direction, bring new services, or help you find new clients.

At the beginning of any project I recommend asking questions. But I think you should keep asking questions and never stop.

Ask.

Ask.

Ask.

Research is also an important first step. Research competitors, former clients, current customers, your very own people … what makes them tick.

Research.

Research.

Research.

So, step one is a combination of research and interviewing – employees, partners, clients. And when you talk to these people, think about the following …

– What does your audience really care about? The more you dig, the more these important questions will come to the fore.

– Who in your organization has their own story?

– What keeps your customers awake at night? What is hindering their progress?

– And… think like your ideal customer. Keep going back to what type of questions they will ask.

… I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

So, if your small company wants to blog, but you’re not sure where to start, the above will give you a head start and more.

Content Marketing Will Rock Your Brand, and then some …

Once you dig in and do the work, you’ll soon have an arsenal that will help you …

– Brand or re-brand your business.
– Build a sustainable marketing plan.
– Actually have something to say on social media … and
– You’ll start to create the foundational content needed for a practice like blogging.

This foundation, something I like to call “blog soup” will do the following …

Make it easier to craft laser-focused copy that also tells a story, about your company, your employees, your partners and your clients.

… and …

You’ll have a growing repository of amazing content ideas, based on the most important components of your business and crafted in the language of your ideal clients, which brings us to …

2. This “Content Stew” Will Help You Laser-In on Your Ideal Client

I often have companies write a concise statement about what they do and what makes them special (it’s part of a complete branding process). It’s built on who they want to work with … their ideal client.

With the soup mentioned above, that will soon be spilling over (if you ask, ask, ask), you’ll start to notice …

… that “ideal client” becomes rather obvious.

Great questions bring answers that have the power to guide your business, and find those you really want to work with.

If your business is firmly established, you’ll discover new things about your former and current clients; their traits, wants, and that nagging pain they must get past.

My favorite questions to ask clients …

a. What was your biggest fear before hiring Company X?

b. Did it come true, and if not, what happened instead?

c. What would be your top 1-3 questions before you would start another job with them?

If you do this. Start to craft long-tail phrases, built on those beautiful answers that Sales Lion guy recommends. (if you follow step #1 above) you’ll soon have an epic list of topics built on the keywords potential clients are looking for …

Asking questions and focusing on these keyword-rich phrases will help you build content that both people and search engines will love.

Most clients know they have to put a few keywords in their site, but they don’t realize how ineffective this can be.

But if you take the approach of the content marketer and build keyword-rich phrases, based on your research and answers, you’ll have ideas and content for your blog, your brand, and pretty much everything you do marketing related.

4. It Will Create Renewed Excitement Around Your Brand.

And here is my big one …

As a branding guy, I LOVE the power of content done right, and here’s why …

If a company’s owners/partners decide they want to blog, start asking the right questions; keep asking questions; work to build up a library of topics based on research and questions; they will soon have laser-focused content that will help them …

– Craft a website that is truly built for the customers they serve, and are looking to work with;

– Revise a tagline so it’s more inline with what they actually do;

– Craft cohesive and magnetic content across all media, from print to social.

… and best of all … it makes it easy to build PR around your brand, because you have the language to connect with influencers and media, and tell them exactly what you do.

And most importantly, your customers will soon know everything about you

Building brand awareness will be so much easier than it was before, because of the magic of content marketing done right …

]]>http://www.craigmcbreen.com/4-reasons-business-needs-content-marketing/feed/8Your 3 Step Process to Surviving and Thriving the Fickle Realm of Social Mediahttp://www.craigmcbreen.com/3-step-process-surviving-thriving-fickle-realm-social-media/
http://www.craigmcbreen.com/3-step-process-surviving-thriving-fickle-realm-social-media/#commentsThu, 10 Jul 2014 15:33:23 +0000http://www.craigmcbreen.com/?p=10680The online realm is filled with “high priests” instructing you to “fail-fast.” It’s also brimming with men and women behind the curtain telling you to live an epic lifestyle, where your feet are always in the warm sand. But guess what? Failing fast can be a lousy strategy if you want to put food on […]

]]>http://www.craigmcbreen.com/3-step-process-surviving-thriving-fickle-realm-social-media/feed/12How Do You Become a Successful Blogger? (4 Answers that Might Surprise You).http://www.craigmcbreen.com/become-successful-blogger-4-answers-might-surprise/
http://www.craigmcbreen.com/become-successful-blogger-4-answers-might-surprise/#commentsThu, 26 Jun 2014 16:22:34 +0000http://www.craigmcbreen.com/?p=10667How Many “Famous” Bloggers Do You Know? (This isn’t a trick question). Now, how many “successful” bloggers do you know? That’s even more nebulous, right? I recently spoke to a small group of Marketing Directors familiar with Content Marketing. The talk dabbled in SEO, but guess what? They didn’t know who Matt Cutts or Rand […]

How Many “Famous” Bloggers Do You Know? (This isn’t a trick question).

Now, how many “successful” bloggers do you know? That’s even more nebulous, right?

I recently spoke to a small group of Marketing Directors familiar with Content Marketing.

The talk dabbled in SEO, but guess what? They didn’t know who Matt Cutts or Rand Fishkin were.

Gasp! …

I know … right?

This sure killed my plans to explain the virtues of reading the bigger “super bloggers” that are part of our social bubble.

Those “overnight” sensations that seem to have everything we don’t.

“Grand Poobahs” who’ve mastered the art of sticky content and thousands of Twitter followers, while making millions (or at least thousands) in the process.

HOW do they do it?

And how can you do IT?

So, How Do You Become a Successful Blogger?

Well, here you go, peeps …

1. To be “Successful” Online, you must first let go.

Let. Go.

What do you need to let go of?

… The absolute silliness of, wait for it … being “internet famous.”

Or to stick a fork in my own title … stop trying to become a “successful” blogger. Because, really, what the heck does that even mean?

We’ve all had those dreamy thoughts. I have and I know you have. Be honest.

Why Trying to Be A Successful Blogger is Monkey Business.

Just in case you haven’t noticed, the dropout rate it the blogosphere is staggering, and one of the main reasons for this is a myth that is propagated far and wide.

Snake oil that leads to jealousy, depression and burnout.

And the best quote I’ve read on this myth comes from the book “Rework” by Jason Fried:

“The Myth of the Overnight Sensation

You will not be a big hit right away. You will not get rich quick. You are not so special that everyone else will instantly pay attention. No one cares about you. At least not yet. Get used to it.

You know those overnight-success stories you’ve heard about? It’s not the whole story. Dig deeper and you’ll usually find people who have busted their asses for years to get into a position where things could take off. And on the rare occasion that instant success does come along, it usually doesn’t last – there’s no foundation there to support it.

Trade the dream of overnight success for slow, measured growth. It’s hard, but you have to be patient. You have to grind it out. You have to do it for a long time before the right people notice.”

Um … yes.

… and “Success” means different things to different people, so let go, stop comparing, and figure out what this means in your world.

On the very edges of our insular environment, are people like Chris Brogan, James Altucher and Lewis Howes.

You might call them close-to-breakout stars, or people who have made their mark, have advanced beyond the blogging bubble, and are ready for prime time.

They are smart, hard-working people who have successfully used their platform to advance their cause and then some.

But guess what?
There’s absolutely nothing even approaching “overnight” in their respective paths. (If you don’t know them, look them up and study them. You’ll see).

You?
I think standing out arrives when you master your own formula of know-how, fire and creativity.

That’s why I put “success” in BIG, FAT QUOTES, because I’m just some guy in Seattle with a big, fat opinion, but I do feel successful, and I’m moving and shaking in my own little way.

You? Do the same and see what happens.

2. Create the Most Rock-Solid Foundation in the History of the Blogosphere.

Okay, I exaggerate, but please read on …

Do you want to be like Lewis? Developing a series of platforms leading to books, speaking, and TV spots?

Or, are you blogging for business? Look at someone like Gini Dietrich. Now THERE’S someone blogging for business. Read SpinSucks.com, watch her videos, and check out her company, Arment Dietrich.

But do you want to know what Sir Lewis and Queen Gini have in common? A rock-solid foundation built on years of blood, sweat and tears. Networking, speaking, writing … need I go on?

A guy who once called himself “a washed up football jock” just went for it … day after day after day.

]]>http://www.craigmcbreen.com/become-successful-blogger-4-answers-might-surprise/feed/23The Beautiful, Empty Cup of Blogginghttp://www.craigmcbreen.com/beautiful-empty-cup-blogging/
http://www.craigmcbreen.com/beautiful-empty-cup-blogging/#commentsWed, 11 Jun 2014 23:44:53 +0000http://www.craigmcbreen.com/?p=10574Today I want to explain the virtues of a simple practice. A daily act that has the power to change everything. This post is not for the writer/blogger who is already deep into this wonderful habit. No, this is for the small business owner. The corporate renegade. A lone wolf looking to bust a move. […]

Today I want to explain the virtues of a simple practice.

This post is not for the writer/blogger who is already deep into this wonderful habit.

No, this is for the small business owner.

The corporate renegade.

A lone wolf looking to bust a move.

It’s pointed at …

the entrepreneur alone in his apartment struggling to find those words.

I’m addressing those who have come to see the practice of writing a blog as a struggle.

It’s hard.

I don’t have the time.

I’m not a writer.

No.

No.

And … no.

If you are a business owner, or you’re looking to start a business, or you’re within a large company and want to claim your space in the world of online publishing, think …

Think about the knowledge you’ve accumulated over the years. The books you’ve read, conversations you’ve had, movies you’ve watched.

Your dreams and goals, those epiphanies that seem to emerge from nowhere; and the crazy, funny, dramatic stories you’ve both listened to and shared with others.

If you stop and consider the volume of knowledge and creative fuel in your head, you’ll soon realize something … transferring those thoughts — that mountain of wisdom you possess — to your fingertips, might not be so difficult after all.

The creative act is not tough.

Maintaining the habit of writing is.

I won’t lie and say that developing a voice, then crafting something of value through writing is easy, but it’s not as tough as you might think.

I will say the power of this daily habit will get you places, all you have to do is start.

And you know what?

If you want to tell the world about your business, sell a product, or build a platform to teach, motivate, inspire, there is no better way.

Yes, a humble little blog could change your life AND grow your business.

You might become a star within your company or advance a stagnant career. Heck, you might just change your life.

A little over 2.5 years ago I started the daily writing habit. I had no idea exactly where blogging would lead, but I knew the practice would change my life for the better.

It’s almost as if I dumped the old cup and started over. Kind of like the famed tale where the Zen Master tells the scholar he must empty his cup to start anew. (His cup is so overflowing with ideas, there’s room for nothing else).

In 2011 I emptied my cup and started over … since then, life has been quite different.

]]>http://www.craigmcbreen.com/beautiful-empty-cup-blogging/feed/7Why Small Businesses Hate Content Marketing (and What to Do About It)http://www.craigmcbreen.com/small-business-hates-content-marketing-can/
http://www.craigmcbreen.com/small-business-hates-content-marketing-can/#commentsWed, 04 Jun 2014 17:03:49 +0000http://www.craigmcbreen.com/?p=10629Have you ever tried to explain what Content Marketing is to a small business owner? Ever been to a meeting where social media comes up and you’re greeted with blank stares and a “let’s please move on” gaze? And what about the following … “I like the idea, but not right now.” “We just don’t […]

Have you ever tried to explain what Content Marketing is to a small business owner?

Ever been to a meeting where social media comes up and you’re greeted with blank stares and a “let’s please move on” gaze?

And what about the following …

“I like the idea, but not right now.”

“We just don’t have time.”

“I don’t write … ”

I could go on, but you get the picture (or like me, you’ve experienced this push-back).

But guess what?

I get it.

I’m a small business owner and understand the hesitation. I realize most of these people are too busy running a successful firm to learn about blogging and social.

Most small businesses don’t like the term, Content Marketing, because they don’t understand it.

This is uncharted territory for them, which translates to spending lots of money on something they know very little about.

So, there’s a problem. A big problem, because …

a. All the practices of Content Marketing are what many small firms and organizations need, and must practice to grow, but …

b. There’s a huge chasm between … (owners, marketing managers and principals) … and … (those who preach this stuff and know how absolutelyfreakingfantastic this can all be for them)!

A gap between Them and Us.

And the problem is in the language, or should I say the way we present the language.

Okay, okay, I hate the term Content Marketing just as much as you, but if we introduce another now — just when Content Marketing is catching on with the peeps I work with — we’re just going to confuse everybody.

I don’t think you want mass confusion, do you?

BUT this is NOT going to be a post where I burn “Content Marketing” at the stake.

No, quite the contrary. So, here we go …

1. Content Marketing is the de facto term. So … Learn it, love it, live it.

And this is how you do so …

Instead of refusing to use it, build client presentations around it.

Here’s a great lead-in …

Most of the people who hire me are all over the term SEO. They know it, realize they must practice it, and are eager, ready and willing to learn about it. But they think it means optimizing their website with those crusty old meta tags. Ugh.

Innefective, is right, so …

2. How Do You Introduce Small Business Clients to Content Marketing?

Craft a short presentation that explains what SEO is:

From Web Crawling to Indexing to Ranking.

And Ranking is the sweet spot, because this is where you introduce the importance of links, social sharing and long-tail keyword phrases, which leads to … BAM, you guessed it … Content Marketing.

I like to introduce them to that Oracle we all know and love, Matt Cutts. Then let them hear a few clips of him explaining SEO, then ask them if they understood what the heck he was saying?

After some nods, I then proceed to tell them this is your SEO presentation for real people who might just love Matt’s short, sweet SEO breakdown.

And this SEO discussion (talking about web spiders, the importance of links and the science of … ranking) leads to discussions on branding, marketing and you guessed it … Content Marketing. Ta-da!